Crucified & Exchanged

Believers a blessed to have not one but 4 authoritative accounts of the life
of Jesus. The four gospels each give us a unique view of who Jesus was, why he
came, and what he did.

Matthew seems to be directed towards a predominately Jewish audience. The
author presents quotes numerous Old Testament scriptures which Jesus
fulfilled.

The Gospel of Mark is an action-pack account of the doings of Jesus. Luke is
a careful documentary portrayal of Jesus and the early church. John seems to be
a book steeped in the Spirit. He speaks to the very heart of believers who long
for fellowship with God. John gives us a Jesus whose words are “Spirit
and Life.”

The four Gospels to tell us at least 3 things about who Jesus is in the
overall scheme of things.

1. Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecy
2. Jesus is Preeminent
3. Jesus shows us the Father

First Jesus is the Fulfillment of Prophecy. There are hundreds of prophecies
in the Old Testament which foretell the coming of a savior. From Genesis to
Malachi. Genesis has the first prophetic word about a savior, one who will
defeat the serpent who tempted Adam and Eve.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will
strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15

Fulfilled: Galatians 4:4-5. Hebrews 2:14-15

Genesis 22:18 And in thy seed shall all the nations
of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Fulfilled: Galatians 3:16-24.

Genesis 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from
Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him
shall the gathering of the people be.

Fulfilled: Galatians Luke 3:33.

An Intercessor: Job 16:21 O that one might plead
for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

Fulfilled: Hebrews 7:25, I Timothy 2:5

Psalm 2:7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath
said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

Fulfilled: Luke 1:35, Hebrews 1:5

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give
you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his
name Immanuel.

Fulfilled: Mathew 1:18-25

Next the Preeminence of Jesus

The book of Hebrews opens up with these words:

1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through
the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has
spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom
he made the universe

Colossians 1:15-20 further establishes the pre-eminence of Jesus

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in
heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers
or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is
before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head
of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the
dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased
to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to
himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making
peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

“For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are
all things: to Whom be glory for ever.” (Romans 11:36)

“And hath put all things under His feet, and
gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the
fulness of Him that filleth all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23)

Jesus Himself said these things about himself:

The queen of the south shall rise up in the
judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the ends
of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon
is here. [ASV] Matthew 12:42

Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the
Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? 6I
tell you that one greater than the temple is here . Matthew 12:5,6

The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment
with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching
of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here [ASV] Matthew 12:41

But the witness which I have is greater than that
of John; for the works which the Father hath given me to accomplish, the very
works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. [ASV] John
5:36

John the Baptist, himself, said “I must decrease that he might
increase.”

Jesus also is preeminent in terms of the the Law. Moses was the Law bringer,
but there is a new dispensation. Jesus does not do away with the Law, but he
fulfills it. He does not change the law but he gives us the spiritual meaning
behind it. He shows us that the law is not just work of the flesh, but the very
intent of the heart.

Here is an example from “Sermon on the Mount,” where Jesus shows
us the Laws spiritual implications.

On Anger

Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and
whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you,
that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the
judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of
the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell
of fire.

On Adultery

27“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do
not commit adultery.’e 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman
lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right
eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to
lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is
better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go
into hell.

On Divorce

31“It has been said, ‘Anyone who
divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’f 32But I tell
you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness,
causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman
commits adultery.

On Oaths

33“Again, you have heard that it was said to
the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have
made to the Lord.’ 34But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by
heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35or by the earth, for it is his
footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36And do not
swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37Simply
let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’
‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

On Vengence

38“You have heard that it was said,
‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’g 39But I tell you, Do not
resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him
the other also. 40And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him
have your cloak as well. 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him
two miles. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one
who wants to borrow from you.

Love for Enemies

43“You have heard that it was said,
‘Love your neighborh and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you: Love
your enemiesi and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of
your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and
sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

The Law of Moses is replaced by the Law of Christ — the very one who
gave the Law to Moses. He summed up all 613 or so laws of the Torah with just
two:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment
in the Law?” Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with
all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is
the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your
neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two
commandments” (Matthew 22:36-40).

And we are bidden to keep his command.

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my
love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his
love. John 15:10

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he
it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I
will love him, and will manifest myself unto him. John 14:21

Jesus shows us the Father

17For the law was given through Moses; grace and
truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but God the One
and Only,e,f who is at the Father’s side, has made him known. John
1:17

The Greek word translated, “made him known” is
exegeomai. Strongs 1834. The is the word from the term exegesis comes from.
Just like a pastor will exegete the word of God, exploring the meaning and
significance of the text, likewise Jesus exegetes the Father.

If we want to understand what God is like, we look to Jesus. If we want to
know the Father’s heart towards us we look to Jesus. If we are weak and
weary, burdened and cast down and we think that God has forsaken us, we need
only look to Jesus to see that God has never left.

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and
that will be enough for us.”

Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me,
Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen
me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?
The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in
me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and
the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles
themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I
have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going
to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may
bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will
do it.